BNIP-H Recruits the Cholinergic Machinery to Neurite Terminals to Promote Acetylcholine Signaling and Neuritogenesis

Structural basis for the distinct roles of non-conserved Pro116 and conserved Tyr124 of BCH domain of yeast p50RhoGAP

p50RhoGAP is a key protein that interacts with and downregulates the small GTPase RhoA. p50RhoGAP is a multifunctional protein containing the BNIP-2 and Cdc42GAP Homology (BCH) domain that facilitates protein-protein interactions and lipid binding and the GAP domain that regulates active RhoA population. We recently solved the structure of the BCH domain from yeast p50RhoGAP (YBCH) and showed that it maintains the adjacent GAP domain in an auto-inhibited state through the β5 strand. Our previous WT YBCH structure shows that a unique kink at position 116 thought to be made by a proline residue between alpha helices α6 and α7 is essential for the formation of intertwined dimer from asymmetric monomers. Here we sought to establish the role and impact of this Pro116. However, the kink persists in the structure of P116A mutant YBCH domain, suggesting that the scaffold is not dictated by the proline residue at this position. We further identified Tyr124 (or Tyr188 in HBCH) as a conserved residue in the crucial β5 strand. Extending to the human ortholog, when substituted to acidic residues, Tyr188D or Tyr188E, we observed an increase in RhoA binding and self-dimerization, indicative of a loss of inhibition of the GAP domain by the BCH domain. These results point to distinct roles and impact of the non-conserved and conserved amino acid positions in regulating the structural and functional complexity of the BCH domain.

Arsenic Impairs Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Cholinergic Motor Neurons

Arsenic exposure during embryogenesis can lead to improper neurodevelopment and changes in locomotor activity. Additionally, in vitro studies have shown that arsenic inhibits the differentiation of sensory neurons and skeletal muscle. In the current study, human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were differentiated into motor neurons over 28 days, while being exposed to up to 0.5 μM arsenic. On day 6, neuroepithelial progenitor cells (NEPs) exposed to arsenic had reduced transcript levels of the neural progenitor/stem cell marker nestin (NES) and neuroepithelial progenitor marker SOX1, while levels of these transcripts were increased in motor neuron progenitors (MNPs) at day 12. In day 18 early motor neurons (MNs), choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) expression was reduced two-fold in cells exposed to 0.5 μM arsenic. RNA sequencing demonstrated that the cholinergic synapse pathway was impaired following exposure to 0.5 μM arsenic, and that transcript levels of genes involved in acetylcholine synthesis (CHAT), transport (solute carriers, SLC18A3 and SLC5A7) and degradation (acetylcholinesterase, ACHE) were all downregulated in day 18 early MNs. In day 28 mature motor neurons, arsenic significantly downregulated protein expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and ChAT by 2.8- and 2.1-fold, respectively, concomitantly with a reduction in neurite length. These results show that exposure to environmentally relevant arsenic concentrations dysregulates the differentiation of human iPS cells into motor neurons and impairs the cholinergic synapse pathway, suggesting that exposure impairs cholinergic function in motor neurons.

A multilevel screening pipeline in zebrafish identifies therapeutic drugs for GAN

Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no treatment. Affecting the nervous system, GAN starts in infancy with motor deficits that rapidly evolve toward total loss of ambulation. Using the gan zebrafish model that reproduces the loss of motility as seen in patients, we conducted the first pharmacological screening for the GAN pathology. Here, we established a multilevel pipeline to identify small molecules restoring both the physiological and the cellular deficits in GAN. We combined behavioral, in silico, and high-content imaging analyses to refine our Hits to five drugs restoring locomotion, axonal outgrowth, and stabilizing neuromuscular junctions in the gan zebrafish. The postsynaptic nature of the drug's cellular targets provides direct evidence for the pivotal role the neuromuscular junction holds in the restoration of motility. Our results identify the first drug candidates that can now be integrated in a repositioning approach to fasten therapy for the GAN disease. Moreover, we anticipate both our methodological development and the identified hits to be of benefit to other neuromuscular diseases.

Differences in Muscle Lipogenic Gene Expression, Carcass Traits and Fat Deposition among Three Iberian Pig Strains Finished in Two Different Feeding Systems

The Iberian pig breed includes several well-differentiated strains. The present study evaluated carcass traits, fat deposition and muscle expression of important lipogenic genes (SCD, ME1, ACACA, FASN, EGR1, ACOX and ACLY) using 65 male pigs of 3 Iberian strains (20 Lampiño, 23 Torbiscal, and 22 Retinto) finished either in a conventional, concentrate-based system (CF) or in montanera (MF), a traditional free-range system with acorn feeding. Torbiscal had the highest ham, Longissimus thoracis and prime cuts yields, and the thinnest subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Retinto had the highest monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and percentage of intramuscular fat (IMF), while Lampiño had the greatest content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indexes in SAT. Conventionally finished pigs had the highest ham, L. thoracis and prime cuts yields, and SFA. Montanera-finished animals had the highest PUFA and MUFA contents, and the lowest AI, TI and n6/n3 ratio in SAT. In relation to gene expression, Retinto had the greatest SCD, FASN and ACLY levels. Most studied genes were overexpressed in CF pigs. In conclusion, MF pigs had healthier fat than CF pigs, and Retinto had the healthiest fat and the greatest lipogenic trend in muscle, supported by IMF and lipogenic gene expression.

Neurogenetic motor disorders

Advances in the field of neurogenetics have practical applications in rapid diagnosis on blood and body fluids to extract DNA, obviating the need for invasive investigations. The ability to obtain a presymptomatic diagnosis through genetic screening and biomarkers can be a guide to life-saving disease-modifying therapy or enzyme replacement therapy to compensate for the deficient disease-causing enzyme. The benefits of a comprehensive neurogenetic evaluation extend to family members in whom identification of the causal gene defect ensures carrier detection and at-risk counseling for future generations. This chapter explores the many facets of the neurogenetic evaluation in adult and pediatric motor disorders as a primer for later chapters in this volume and a roadmap for the future applications of genetics in neurology.

BNIP-2 Activation of Cellular Contractility Inactivates YAP for H9c2 Cardiomyoblast Differentiation

Rho GTPases and Hippo kinases are key regulators of cardiomyoblast differentiation. However, how these signaling axes are coordinated spatiotemporally remains unclear. Here, the central and multifaceted roles of the BCH domain containing protein, BNIP-2, in orchestrating the expression of two key cardiac genes (cardiac troponin T [cTnT] and cardiac myosin light chain [Myl2]) in H9c2 and human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are delineated. This study shows that BNIP-2 mRNA and protein expression increase with the onset of cTnT and Myl2 and promote the alignment of H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Mechanistically, BNIP-2 is required for the inactivation of YAP through YAP phosphorylation and its cytosolic retention. Turbo-ID proximity labeling corroborated by super-resolution analyses and biochemical pulldown data reveals a scaffolding role of BNIP-2 for LATS1 to phosphorylate and inactivate YAP in a process that requires BNIP-2 activation of cellular contractility. The findings identify BNIP-2 as a pivotal signaling scaffold that spatiotemporally integrates RhoA/Myosin II and LATS1/YAP mechanotransduction signaling to drive cardiomyoblast differentiation, by switching the genetic programming from YAP-dependent growth to YAP-silenced differentiation. These findings offer insights into the importance of scaffolding proteins in bridging the gap between mechanical and biochemical signals in cell growth and differentiation and the prospects in translational applications.

Metabolic and Cellular Compartments of Acetyl-CoA in the Healthy and Diseased Brain

The human brain is characterised by the most diverse morphological, metabolic and functional structure among all body tissues. This is due to the existence of diverse neurons secreting various neurotransmitters and mutually modulating their own activity through thousands of pre- and postsynaptic interconnections in each neuron. Astroglial, microglial and oligodendroglial cells and neurons reciprocally regulate the metabolism of key energy substrates, thereby exerting several neuroprotective, neurotoxic and regulatory effects on neuronal viability and neurotransmitter functions. Maintenance of the pool of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA derived from glycolytic glucose metabolism is a key factor for neuronal survival. Thus, acetyl-CoA is regarded as a direct energy precursor through the TCA cycle and respiratory chain, thereby affecting brain cell viability. It is also used for hundreds of acetylation reactions, including N-acetyl aspartate synthesis in neuronal mitochondria, acetylcholine synthesis in cholinergic neurons, as well as divergent acetylations of several proteins, peptides, histones and low-molecular-weight species in all cellular compartments. Therefore, acetyl-CoA should be considered as the central point of metabolism maintaining equilibrium between anabolic and catabolic pathways in the brain. This review presents data supporting this thesis.

DE-71 affected the cholinergic system and locomotor activity via disrupting calcium homeostasis in zebrafish larvae

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) can induce neurotoxicity, but the mechanism of their toxicity on the cholinergic system and locomotion behavior remains unclear. In this paper, zebrafish embryos were exposed to DE-71 (0, 1, 3, 10, 30, and 100 µg/L) until 120 h post fertilization, and its effects on the behavior and cholinergic system of zebrafish larvae and its possible mechanism were investigated. Results indicated a general locomotor activity impairment in the light-dark transition stimulation without affecting the secondary motoneurons. However, with the extension of test time in the dark or light, the decreased locomotor activity was diminished, a significant decrease only observed in the 100 µg/L DE-71 exposure groups in the last 10 min. Furthermore, whole-body acetylcholine (ACh) contents decreased after DE-71 exposure, whereas no changes in NO contents and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity were found. The expression of certain genes encoding calcium homeostasis proteins (e.g., grin1a, camk2a, and crebbpb) and the concentrations of calcium in zebrafish larvae were significantly decreased after DE-71 exposure. After co-exposure with calcium channel agonist (±)-BAY K8644, calcium concentrations, ACh contents, and locomotor activity in the light-dark transition stimulation was significantly increased compared with the same concentrations of DE-71 exposure alone, whereas no significant difference was observed compared with the control, indicating that calcium homeostasis is involved in the impairment of cholinergic neurotransmission and locomotor activity. Overall, our results suggested that DE-71 can impair the cholinergic system and locomotor activity by impairing calcium homeostasis. Our paper provides a better understanding of the neurotoxicity of PBDEs.

Structural basis for p50RhoGAP BCH domain-mediated regulation of Rho inactivation

Spatiotemporal regulation of signaling cascades is crucial for various biological pathways, under the control of a range of scaffolding proteins. The BNIP-2 and Cdc42GAP Homology (BCH) domain is a highly conserved module that targets small GTPases and their regulators. Proteins bearing BCH domains are key for driving cell elongation, retraction, membrane protrusion, and other aspects of active morphogenesis during cell migration, myoblast differentiation, and neuritogenesis. We previously showed that the BCH domain of p50RhoGAP (ARHGAP1) sequesters RhoA from inactivation by its adjacent GAP domain; however, the underlying molecular mechanism for RhoA inactivation by p50RhoGAP remains unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of the BCH domain of p50RhoGAP Schizosaccharomyces pombe and model the human p50RhoGAP BCH domain to understand its regulatory function using in vitro and cell line studies. We show that the BCH domain adopts an intertwined dimeric structure with asymmetric monomers and harbors a unique RhoA-binding loop and a lipid-binding pocket that anchors prenylated RhoA. Interestingly, the β5-strand of the BCH domain is involved in an intermolecular β-sheet, which is crucial for inhibition of the adjacent GAP domain. A destabilizing mutation in the β5-strand triggers the release of the GAP domain from autoinhibition. This renders p50RhoGAP active, thereby leading to RhoA inactivation and increased self-association of p50RhoGAP molecules via their BCH domains. Our results offer key insight into the concerted spatiotemporal regulation of Rho activity by BCH domain-containing proteins.

Zebrafish Models of Autosomal Recessive Ataxias

Autosomal recessive ataxias are much less well studied than autosomal dominant ataxias and there are no clearly defined systems to classify them. Autosomal recessive ataxias, which are characterized by neuronal and multisystemic features, have significant overlapping symptoms with other complex multisystemic recessive disorders. The generation of animal models of neurodegenerative disorders increases our knowledge of their cellular and molecular mechanisms and helps in the search for new therapies. Among animal models, the zebrafish, which shares 70% of its genome with humans, offer the advantages of being small in size and demonstrating rapid development, making them optimal for high throughput drug and genetic screening. Furthermore, embryo and larval transparency allows to visualize cellular processes and central nervous system development in vivo. In this review, we discuss the contributions of zebrafish models to the study of autosomal recessive ataxias characteristic phenotypes, behavior, and gene function, in addition to commenting on possible treatments found in these models. Most of the zebrafish models generated to date recapitulate the main features of recessive ataxias.

The multiple biological roles of the cholinesterases

It is tacitly assumed that the biological role of acetylcholinesterase is termination of synaptic transmission at cholinergic synapses. However, together with its structural homolog, butyrylcholinesterase, it is widely distributed both within and outside the nervous system, and, in many cases, the role of both enzymes remains obscure. The transient appearance of the cholinesterases in embryonic tissues is especially enigmatic. The two enzymes' extra-synaptic roles, which are known as 'non-classical' roles, are the topic of this review. Strong evidence has been presented that AChE and BChE play morphogenetic roles in a variety of eukaryotic systems, and they do so either by acting as adhesion proteins, or as trophic factors. As trophic factors, one mode of action is to directly regulate morphogenesis, such as neurite outgrowth, by poorly understood mechanisms. The other mode is by regulating levels of acetylcholine, which acts as the direct trophic factor. Alternate substrates have been sought for the cholinesterases. Quite recently, it was shown that levels of the aggression hormone, ghrelin, which also controls appetite, are regulated by butyrylcholinesterase. The rapid hydrolysis of acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase generates high local proton concentrations. The possible biophysical and biological consequences of this effect are discussed. The biological significance of the acetylcholinesterases secreted by parasitic nematodes is reviewed, and, finally, the involvement of acetylcholinesterase in apoptosis is considered.

BNIP-2 retards breast cancer cell migration by coupling microtubule-mediated GEF-H1 and RhoA activation

Microtubules display dynamic turnover during cell migration, leading to cell contractility and focal adhesion maturation regulated by Rho guanosine triphosphatase activity. This interplay between microtubules and actomyosin is mediated by guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF)-H1 released after microtubule depolymerization or microtubule disconnection from focal adhesions. However, how GEF-H1 activates Rho upon microtubule disassembly remains elusive. Here, we found that BNIP-2, a BCH domain-containing protein that binds both RhoA and GEF-H1 and traffics with kinesin-1 on microtubules, is important for GEF-H1-driven RhoA activation upon microtubule disassembly. Depletion of BNIP-2 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells decreases RhoA activity and promotes cell migration. Upon nocodazole-induced microtubule disassembly, the interaction between BNIP-2 and GEF-H1 increases, while knockdown of BNIP-2 reduces RhoA activation and cell rounding via uncoupling RhoA-GEF-H1 interaction. Together, these findings revealed that BNIP-2 couples microtubules and focal adhesions via scaffolding GEF-H1 and RhoA, fine-tuning RhoA activity and cell migration.

Presynaptic Caytaxin prevents apoptosis via deactivating DAPK1 in the acute phase of cerebral ischemic stroke

Death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) is a key protein that mediates neuronal death in ischemic stroke. Although the substrates of DAPK1 and molecular signal in stroke have been gradually discovered, the modulation of DAPK1 itself is still unclear. Here we first reveal that Caytaxin, a brain-specific member of BCL2/adenovirus E1B -interacting protein (BNIP-2), increases and interacts with DAPK1 as early as 2 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the penumbra area of mouse brain. Furthermore, Caytaxin binds to DAPK1 at the presynaptic site and inhibits DAPK1 catalytic activity. Silencing Caytaxin by Caytaxin shRNA (Sh-Caytaxin) enhances DAPK1 activity, deteriorates neuronal apoptosis and brain injuries both in vivo and in vitro. Thus, elevating presynaptic Caytaxin could prevent neuronal apoptosis by inhibiting DAPK1 activation in the acute stage of ischemic stroke. Caytaxin may physiologically protect neuronal cells and represent a potential prevention and therapeutic target in the early phase of cerebral ischemic stroke.

Genome-Wide Association Study and Subsequent Exclusion of ATCAY as a Candidate Gene Involved in Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy Using Two Animal Models

Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder of unknown etiology. Clinical signs of neurological deficits develop within the first year of life in vitamin E (vitE) deficient horses. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out using 670,000 SNP markers in 27 case and 42 control Quarter Horses. Two markers, encompassing a 2.5 Mb region on ECA7, were associated with the phenotype (p = 2.05 × 10-7 and 4.72 × 10-6). Within this region, caytaxin (ATCAY) was identified as a candidate gene due to its known role in Cayman Ataxia and ataxic/dystonic phenotypes in mouse models. Whole-genome sequence data in four eNAD/EDM and five unaffected horses identified 199 associated variants within the ECA7 region. MassARRAY® genotyping was performed on these variants within the GWAS population. The three variants within ATCAY were not concordant with the disease phenotype. No difference in expression or alternative splicing was identified using qRT-PCR in brainstem across the ATCAY transcript. Atcayji-hes mice were then used to conduct functional analysis in a second animal model. Histologic lesions were not identified in the central nervous system of Atcayji-hes mice. Additionally, supplementation of homozygous Atcayji-hes mice with 600 IU/day of dl-α-tocopheryl acetate (vitE) during gestation, lactation, and adulthood did not improve the phenotype. ATCAY has therefore been excluded as a candidate gene for eNAD/EDM.

Melatonin Improves Cognitive Deficits via Restoration of Cholinergic Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Scopolamine-Induced Amnesia

Melatonin is known to improve cognitive deficits, and its functions have been studied in various disease models, including Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we investigated effects of melatonin on cognition and the cholinergic system of the septum and hippocampus in a mouse model of scopolamine-induced amnesia. Scopolamine (1 mg/kg) and melatonin (10 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally to mice for 2 and 4 weeks. The Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests revealed that both treatments of scopolamine significantly impaired spatial learning and memory; however, 2- and 4-week melatonin treatments significantly improved spatial learning and memory. In addition, scopolamine treatments significantly decreased protein levels and immunoreactivities of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), high-affinity choline transporter (CHT), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1 (M1R) in the septum and hippocampus. However, the treatments with melatonin resulted in increased ChAT-, CHT-, VAChT-, and M1R-immunoreactivities and their protein levels in the septum and hippocampus. Our results demonstrate that melatonin treatment is effective in improving the cognitive deficits via restoration of the cholinergic system in the septum and hippocampus of a mouse model of scopolamine-induced amnesia.

The Regulatory Effects of Acetyl-CoA Distribution in the Healthy and Diseased Brain

Brain neurons, to support their neurotransmitter functions, require a several times higher supply of glucose than non-excitable cells. Pyruvate, the end product of glycolysis, through pyruvate dehydrogenase complex reaction, is a principal source of acetyl-CoA, which is a direct energy substrate in all brain cells. Several neurodegenerative conditions result in the inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase and decrease of acetyl-CoA synthesis in mitochondria. This attenuates metabolic flux through TCA in the mitochondria, yielding energy deficits and inhibition of diverse synthetic acetylation reactions in all neuronal sub-compartments. The acetyl-CoA concentrations in neuronal mitochondrial and cytoplasmic compartments are in the range of 10 and 7 μmol/L, respectively. They appear to be from 2 to 20 times lower than acetyl-CoA Km values for carnitine acetyltransferase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, aspartate acetyltransferase, choline acetyltransferase, sphingosine kinase 1 acetyltransferase, acetyl-CoA hydrolase, and acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase, respectively. Therefore, alterations in acetyl-CoA levels alone may significantly change the rates of metabolic fluxes through multiple acetylation reactions in brain cells in different physiologic and pathologic conditions. Such substrate-dependent alterations in cytoplasmic, endoplasmic reticulum or nuclear acetylations may directly affect ACh synthesis, protein acetylations, and gene expression. Thereby, acetyl-CoA may regulate the functional and adaptative properties of neuronal and non-neuronal brain cells. The excitotoxicity-evoked intracellular zinc excess hits several intracellular targets, yielding the collapse of energy balance and impairment of the functional and structural integrity of postsynaptic cholinergic neurons. Acute disruption of brain energy homeostasis activates slow accumulation of amyloid-β_1-42 (Aβ). Extra and intracellular oligomeric deposits of Aβ affect diverse transporting and signaling pathways in neuronal cells. It may combine with multiple neurotoxic signals, aggravating their detrimental effects on neuronal cells. This review presents evidences that changes of intraneuronal levels and compartmentation of acetyl-CoA may contribute significantly to neurotoxic pathomechanisms of different neurodegenerative brain disorders.

Cholinergic activity is essential for maintaining the anterograde transport of Choline Acetyltransferase in Drosophila

Cholinergic activity is essential for cognitive functions and neuronal homeostasis. Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT), a soluble protein that synthesizes acetylcholine at the presynaptic compartment, is transported in bulk in the axons by the heterotrimeric Kinesin-2 motor. Axonal transport of soluble proteins is described as a constitutive process assisted by occasional, non-specific interactions with moving vesicles and motor proteins. Here, we report that an increase in the influx of Kinesin-2 motor and association between ChAT and the motor during a specific developmental period enhances the axonal entry, as well as the anterograde flow of the protein, in the sensory neurons of intact Drosophila nervous system. Loss of cholinergic activity due to  Hemicholinium and Bungarotoxin treatments, respectively, disrupts the interaction between ChAT and Kinesin-2 in the axon, and the episodic enhancement of axonal influx of the protein. Altogether, these observations highlight a phenomenon of synaptic activity-dependent, feedback regulation of a soluble protein transport in vivo, which could potentially define the quantum of its pre-synaptic influx.

Odor preference and olfactory memory are impaired in Olfaxin-deficient mice

Olfaxin, which is a BNIP2 and Cdc42GAP homology (BCH) domain-containing protein, is predominantly expressed in mitral and tufted (M/T) cells in the olfactory bulb (OB). Olfaxin and Caytaxin, which share 56.3% amino acid identity, are similar in their glutamatergic terminal localization, kidney-type glutaminase (KGA) interaction, and caspase-3 substrate. Although the deletion of Caytaxin protein causes human Cayman ataxia and ataxia in the mutant mouse, the function of Olfaxin is largely unknown. In this study, we generated Prune2 gene mutant mice (Prune2^Ex16-/-; knock out [KO] mice) using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, during which the exon 16 containing start codon of Olfaxin mRNA was deleted. Exon 16 has 80 nucleotides and is contained in four of five Prune2 isoforms, including PRUNE2, BMCC1, BNIPXL, and Olfaxin/BMCC1s. The levels of Olfaxin mRNA and Olfaxin protein in the OB and piriform cortex of KO mice significantly decreased. Although Prune2 mRNA also significantly decreased in the spinal cord, the gross anatomy of the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was intact. Further, disturbance of the sensory and motor system was not observed in KO mice. Therefore, in the current study, we examined the role of Olfaxin in the olfactory system where PRUNE2, BMCC1, and BNIPXL are scarcely expressed. Odor preference was impaired in KO mice using opposite-sex urinary scents as well as a non-social odor stimulus (almond). Results of the odor-aversion test demonstrated that odor-associative learning was disrupted in KO mice. Moreover, the NMDAR2A/NMDAR2B subunits switch in the piriform cortex was not observed in KO mice. These results indicated that Olfaxin may play a critical role in odor preference and olfactory memory.

Dynamic changes in murine forebrain miR-211 expression associate with cholinergic imbalances and epileptiform activity

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease, manifested in unprovoked recurrent seizures. Epileptogenesis may develop due to genetic or pharmacological origins or following injury, but it remains unclear how the unaffected brain escapes this susceptibility to seizures. Here, we report that dynamic changes in forebrain microRNA (miR)-211 in the mouse brain shift the threshold for spontaneous and pharmacologically induced seizures alongside changes in the cholinergic pathway genes, implicating this miR in the avoidance of seizures. We identified miR-211 as a putative attenuator of cholinergic-mediated seizures by intersecting forebrain miR profiles that were Argonaute precipitated, synaptic vesicle target enriched, or differentially expressed under pilocarpine-induced seizures, and validated TGFBR2 and the nicotinic antiinflammatory acetylcholine receptor nAChRa7 as murine and human miR-211 targets, respectively. To explore the link between miR-211 and epilepsy, we engineered dTg-211 mice with doxycycline-suppressible forebrain overexpression of miR-211. These mice reacted to doxycycline exposure by spontaneous electrocorticography-documented nonconvulsive seizures, accompanied by forebrain accumulation of the convulsive seizures mediating miR-134. RNA sequencing demonstrated in doxycycline-treated dTg-211 cortices overrepresentation of synaptic activity, Ca²⁺ transmembrane transport, TGFBR2 signaling, and cholinergic synapse pathways. Additionally, a cholinergic dysregulated mouse model overexpressing a miR refractory acetylcholinesterase-R splice variant showed a parallel propensity for convulsions, miR-211 decreases, and miR-134 elevation. Our findings demonstrate that in mice, dynamic miR-211 decreases induce hypersynchronization and nonconvulsive and convulsive seizures, accompanied by expression changes in cholinergic and TGFBR2 pathways as well as in miR-134. Realizing the importance of miR-211 dynamics opens new venues for translational diagnosis of and interference with epilepsy.